Ireland’s government has lurched from crisis to crisis during the past year, refusing to test people arriving from overseas or ban the tens of thousands arriving on flights while keeping their own people under house arrest and banning Mass.
It has been a difficult time for priests, who are banned from public Mass for almost a full year now, despite having to watch videos emerging of large numbers attending Black Lives Matter protests and even Friday prayers at Mosques, with the media and the government refusing to mention either.
Since last March however, many priests have done their best within the circumstances, even if many feel frustrated with the lack of public Mass.
One noticeable effort has been made since last year by Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan of Waterford and Lismore Diocese. He has regularly updated videos on his Youtube channel.
On a number of occasions, he has also processed with the Blessed Sacrament through the streets of Waterford City, most recently doing this yesterday.
It might be only a small gesture, but the faith and the love that come with it are the reasons as to why many people have responded so positively to the move. It is strange that more parishes and dioceses have not picked up on it as a means of bringing about a public presence of the faith when the Mass looks to have been made publicly banished indefinitely.